Incidences of major muscle tissue damage, such as traumas, reconstructive surgical procedures, and osteoporotic fractures or falls are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in older adults. Bone fractures are among the most common causes for acute admission to orthopedic wards with a 30% mortality rate 12-months post surgery. It was reported that such traumas produced a mean loss of 30% of retirement savings, and planned retirement age increased to 65 years from 64 years. Moreover, less than 50% of patients return to pre-trauma levels of mobility and independence, with older adults who survive a hip fracture being three times more likely to be functionally dependent, 50% requiring long-term assistance with routine functional activities and up to 25% requiring full-time residential care.
A contributing factor is the muscle atrophy associated with patients after extensive traumatic injury such as broken bones and surgical reconstructive procedures. Muscle atrophy is due to a metabolic response to stress that causes a preferential loss of muscle at a rate greater than would be expected from the lack of nutritional intake alone. Conventional nutritional management aimed at addressing muscle atrophy in trauma patients involves the provision of high energy, high protein diets. However the evidence for this approach is largely unconvincing. Hence, there is a need for a nutritional supplement to expedite the recovery of muscle strength and function in patients post-trauma or surgery.